1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an obturator having a removable, replaceable tip and more particularly to such a removable, replaceable tip that flexibly engages and releases the obturator tip from the shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional trocars use an obturator with a sharp metal tip to penetrate a body cavity in surgical procedures. After each use, the obturator must be sterilized and eventually the tip dulls and must be re-sharpened by machining. These obturators are expensive and adding to their effective cost is the cost of sharpening, sterilizing and the loss of use during those procedures. Some trocars are made to be disposable, i.e., they are used once and discarded with no need for resharpening or sterilizing. Their initial cost is, however, quite high. Alternatively, some trocar obturators are made with a removable metal tip. During the course of surgery, these obturators will often have to be changed to conform to the particular demands of that surgical procedure. However, these tips are also expensive and must be regularly sterilized and periodically re-sharpened. Moreover, obturator shafts tend to be sold without a cutting tip. The tips are sold individually, which requires the surgeon or hospital to maintain a complex and diverse inventory.
The obturator assembly of the present invention may comprise: a removable obturator tip having a sharpened distal end and a proximal end; a first engagement device disposed on the proximal end of the removable obturator tip; an obturator shaft having a distal end; a second engagement device disposed on the distal end of the obturator shaft adapted to lockingly engage the first engagement device, thereby securing the removable obturator tip to the obturator shaft; and a biased flexible member adapted to flexibly engage the first engagement device to the second engagement device, the flexible member being accessible whereby the flexible member can be flexed against its bias to disengage the first engagement device from the second engagement device.
In specific embodiments of the present invention, the sharpened distal end of the obturator tip: (a) may have a serrated cutting edge; (b) may have a piercing cutting edge; (c) may have a blunt cutting edge; (d) may have a radial cutting edge; (e) may have a cutting edge that cuts and dilates in two directions; (f) may make an incision that is linear and easy to close; (g) may have a semi-circular cutting edge; (i) may have a double beveled cutting edge; (j) may have a claw shaped cutting edge; (k) may create an incision that allows the obturator tip to be rotated as the incision is made; (l) may have a triangular cutting edge; (m) may have a hooked blade cutting edge; (n) may have a sickle shaped cutting edge; (o) may have a flat cutting edge.
The obturator assembly of the present invention may also comprise: a removable obturator tip having a sharpened distal end and a proximal end; a biased flexible leg extending from the proximal end of the tip, the flexible leg having a detent; an obturator shaft having a stop, the stop being adapted to engage the detent on the biased flexible leg, thereby connecting the tip to the obturator shaft; and an access port disposed on the obturator shaft, whereby the flexible leg can be moved against its bias to disengage the detent from the stop.